UN slams deadly terrorist attack in Philippines

UNITED NATIONS — The UN Security Council and UN Secretary-Generl Ban Ki-moon on Sunday condemned a deadly terrorist attack on a Philippine night market that killed at least 14 people, stressing the need to bring perpetrators to justice.

“The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack at a night market in the city of Davao in the Philippines on 2 September,” the 15-nation council said in a press statement.

They expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government of the Philippines and they wished a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured, the statement said.

“The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” the statement said.

“The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice,” it added.

“The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed,” the statement said.

The Security Council reaffirmed the need for all countries to combat by all means threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, according to the statement.

Also on Sunday, the UN chief, in a separate statement, condemned the attack in the Philippines, and stressed “the need to ensure accountability and to bring to justice the perpetrators of these terrorist attacks.”

“The secretary-general extends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and wishes a speedy recovery to those injured,” the statement said. “He stands with the government and people of the Philippines.”

No group has claimed responsibility for the Friday attack that also injured more than 70 people. Philippine Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said components of a suspected improvised explosive device were found at the scene.

Police said they could not yet determine if the latest blast was caused by a bomb and that an investigation was now underway.

The bloody incident was the latest in the southern Philippine city since 2005 when suspected Islamist terrorists set off a bomb in a bus terminal in Ecoland village, killing a child and wounding five others.

In 2003, more than 30 people were killed and over 130 others wounded when alleged Muslim insurgents bombed the city’s old airport and passenger harbor within a month. PNA/Xinhua/northboundasia.com